Why Your Dirt Bike Won't Start When Off-Roading

Riding your dirt bike out on your favorite forest or desert trail is an exhilarating and freeing feeling, you almost feel unstoppable. Unstoppable until your bike does not start after a quick pic break. Now your half-way out and you’re stranded and have no idea what the issue may be. We will go over why your dirt bike may not start and what you can do when you are faced with these issues.

Ignition:

If your dirt bike shut off in the middle of a ride you may have an ignition issue. It can be as simple as having a bad spark plug. Luckily, replacing a spark plug is easy as long as you have an extra one in your backpack (that you should carry on you if you are planning on going a little far from camp). If the spark plugs do not help, you may have a more serious electrical issue but that should’ve stopped your bike long before you made it out too far. Unless you are familiar with working with the electrical components of your bike we recommend having a professional take a look when you get back from your trip.

Air/Fuel Mixture:

This is an issue that can be easily resolved. Many riders forget to check their fuel levels and it goes right over their heads. Sometimes riders let their dirt bikes sit with fuel in the tank for a long period of time and this can dry out the fuel systems. If the bike has been sitting for a long period of time, the fuel lines should be double-checked. A faulty fuel pump or clogged fuel filter can prevent a dirt bike from starting and an elevation change can screw with the bike if it's improperly jetted for that specific altitude.

Compression:

Testing your dirt bikes compression should be one of the last things you troubleshoot. When testing the compression, if one or all of your cylinders have low or no compression, your engine will not fire properly or at all. The air/fuel mixture needs to be compressed to raise its temperature to a point where it can become combustible. Without enough compression, the mixture will not ignite.

Electric Start:

If you are pressing the electric start but it does nothing more than click but you KNOW you have power in the battery because your lights still work, you may have some corroded connections. Hopefully, your dirt bike has a kick start back up, but if it does not you may have to push to start the dirt bike. If neither of these is options for your next option is to make sure all electrical connections are clean and tight, then check all your fuses.

Back-up:

If nothing you do or double-check is helping your cause and your bike does not start it may be time to call for some backup. Back-up being a family or friend back at camp to come and pick up your dirt bike. If no one is with you, you may need to call a tow truck. If your bike has starting issues, maybe consider not heading out so far.

Conclusion:

We hope the issues that could occur help you identify what your issue is and helps you get it back to the garage. If you are still experiencing issues we really recommend to have it professionally inspected and repaired. You don’t want to get stranded and have no one around to help.

-How to Master Off-Roading a Dual Sport

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